At the entrance are a couple of restaurants, souvenir stands, a youth hostel and a small cable car that goes up to the eighth tower. The colorful buckets look they belong at Disneyland and probably came from there. The tour allows for 4 hours at the wall, which is plenty of time to hike up to the twelfth tower and back without using the cable car. Before some accidents the hike extended to the 16th tower, but now there is guard just beyond the twelfth. All you have to do is look at how the trail narrows and is at angle NEXT to the wall to understand why.

Unlike other areas, the towers along this section are close together providing momentary breaks. For the most part, Simatai is a hike upwards the entire distance. I spend two hours ascending and one descending.

Another unique aspect of this hike is the reservoir at the beginning of the hike. It makes for a beautiful sight from some of the higher towers. On your return you have the option of taking a zip line near the first tower across the reservoir only to be brought back across by a small boat. The cost is Y35 and didn’t have too many takers, perhaps because the harness seemed to secure you only by Velcro.

Most towers were very well preserved with all the walls and roof completely intact. The views were indescribable. It seemed unfathomable that the high peaks you see in the distance driving up, would be the same ones under your feet a little later. It feels like being on top of the world.

The terrain itself is very rugged and continually changing. Steps could be shallow (toes only) or deep and they could be 5 inches to 18 in height. And still other areas were merely gravel-like rising out of the red dirt.

Although I brought three bottles of water with me I was grateful to have water to purchase along the way at Y3. The hike was difficult but it was the heat and humidity that caused my clothes to become soaked. I wouldn’t have missed this one for anything. And I mean that literally as I had two huge blisters on my heels from walking around Summer Palace the day before.

I booked my trip there at the YHA hostel in Beijing. I forget the exact price, but it was extremely cheap.

We set off at 7.30am, heading for Simatai. The section of the wall there hasn't been restored like other sections. That means it can be extremely difficult to walk as it's effectively crumbling - however, it does mean that you are away from most other tourists, traders and get that feeling of 'authenticity'.

Beijing in January is cold, but at the wall it was even colder. I was concerned that I might freeze, but there are people selling hats, gloves and coats at the base if there's anything you need as well as some good places to eat. These services exist for tourists, but it seems they haven't thought to raise the prices to tourist rates.

The only thing to look out for are the girls who attach themselves to each group of tourists and walk with them like tour guides. They are informative and even helpful when you're struggling up the steeper sections, but they aren't doing it for the tip at the end. They actually want you to buy the 120RMB books and postcards they produce when your walk is over.

You may wish to purchase the merchandise, but if you choose not to, they get quite annoyed, even physically grabbing you as you walk away. This happenhed to me and I saw it happen to another couple.

It's not the biggest deal you'll encounter in China, but best be aware that it's coming up if they start talking to you.